• Thu. Dec 5th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

middlesbrough-moving-forwardThe Electoral Commission is encouraging voters to get ready and plan their trip to the polling station to make sure they take part in the EU Referendum this Thursday 23 June.

A recent survey conducted for the Commission across the UK found that by far the most popular way to travel to polling stations is walking (51%), followed by travelling by car (18%).

Most respondents will be going to their polling station alone (37%), while almost one in three (31%) will be going to vote with their partner.

Popular times for visiting polling stations are late morning (17%) and after work (19%), however, over a third (35%) of respondents still haven’t decided what time they will go to vote.  The Electoral Commission is recommending that people plan in advance when they will vote so they don’t miss out on this historic occasion.

Voters can find the location of their polling station on their poll card.  Voters who have misplaced their poll card are reminded that they do not need it to be able to vote, but that they can contact their local authority if they do not know where their polling station is.  Voters in Northern Ireland can contact the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.

Contact details for local authorities can be found at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

Voters who have chosen to vote by post need to return their postal ballot pack by close of poll at 10pm on Thursday.  If any voters have left it too late to return their postal vote by post, they can hand it in at their polling station, or at their local area electoral office in Northern Ireland.

Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission and Chief Counting Officer at the EU Referendum said:

“With just two days to go, it’s important to make sure you’re ready to vote on Thursday.  If you’ve got a postal vote, make sure you return it as soon as possible and if you’re voting in person, now’s a good time to plan exactly when you’ll get to your polling station.

“If you’re still unsure about any aspect of casting your vote, there’s lots of useful information at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk or you can call our helpline on 0800 3 280 280.”

The Electoral Commission’s voter information site contains information on:

  • The wording of the question on the ballot paper
  • The contact details for your local authority, who will be able to advise on the location of your polling station if you’ve misplaced your poll card
  • Who is eligible to take part in the referendum
  • Links to information from the two lead campaign organisations
  • The answers to frequently asked questions

It is also possible to download additional copies of the information booklet that the Commission sent to all households in May from the website.  There is also a helpline (0800 3 280 280) for those not able to access the internet or who want to speak to an advisor.

The Electoral Commission advises voters not to take photos inside the polling station as they could potentially breach the secrecy of the ballot requirements.  Anyone who wants to take a selfie can do this outside the polling station.

By admin